I just found an old photo of myself in front of an altar that I created 20 years ago and above the altar, mounted to the wall, I had affixed a lucky horseshoe. I notice that I had it placed with the points up, to "hold in the luck" as opposed to points down to "let the luck flow down".

In reading Cat's page on horseshoes (http://www.luckymojo.com/horseshoe.html), she sort of suggests points down but seems to leave it open for personal/cultural preference. (p.s. I **love** the antique horseshoe in the photo on this page!)

So, I'm curious, in your practice, do you do points up or points down - do you feel strongly about it or is the horseshoe itself the attractor no matter which way it points. Just wondering about what other people do.

(A) up ("so the luck won't fall out")
or
(B) down ("so the protection and luck will pour onto those who walk under it")

is a matter of culture.

Irish and Western English folks go for (A), the rest of Europe mostly goes for (B) or expresses no preference at all. The Irish-English (A)-believers tend to often be quite vocal in their beliefs and intolerant of other directionalities, while the (B)-believers tend to be less vocal and more directionally-tolerant. The USA, under the influence of Anglo-Saxon and Gaelic colonialization and settlement, does lean toward toward (A)-believers, but they have not overwhelmed or obliterated the German, Italian, Turkish, and other (B)-believers in the USA.

As for my personal beliefs, well, my parents were German Jewish and Sicilian, hence i was taught "points down" but i have purchased numerous horseshoe charms and amulets that were specifically designed to be displayed points up, and of course i do display them in that direction.

In other words, like most (B)-believers, i tolerate either direction.

Here's an Egyptian lucky horseshoe we sell -- points down and anti-evil-eye blue for protection

In the Mediterranean, as noted by Miss cat, you'll find mostly horseshoes pointing down. It is also not uncommon to see them combined with evil eye talismans. Therefore combining a lucky talisman with an apotropaic charm.

My family is Scottish on both sides, from the Highlands on my mum's and the Lowlands on my dad's. I heard it from my dad's family that all people should hang their horseshoes pointing up (A) "to keep the luck in" unless you were a blacksmith, in which case you must place them pointing down (B).

Unfortunately I don't know the reason why a blacksmith must point his down as opposed to up. At any rate, I thought it was an interesting folkloric tidbit.

Tristan, thanks for mentioning the "Blacksmith variant" -- I have heard that once before, also from a Scottish-American source.

ConjureMan Ali, there is more to the "points down horseshoe with eye" than you mentioned, and i feel like expanding on it, so bear with me, folks...

In Sicily, the horseshoe is not so much "lucky" as it protects against witches entering the house (they cannot walk under it). Points down, this protective horseshoe is the vulva of the beneficent Great Goddess. In folk magic, most fork-down charms refer to the female.

Once the horseshoe becomes the vulva, it also partakes of the quality of "wetness." The appeal to the "wetness" of the vulva of the Goddess for protection against the "drying" influence of the evil eye is of ancient origin. Similar Goddess / wet / protective amulets are the Tet or Girdle of Isis (literally the bloodied menstrual pad of the goddess Isis) from ancient Egypt, the downward pointing hamsa hand (hand of Miriam, hand of Fatima -- always a woman's name) where the double-thumbed hand replicates the "menstrual pad" look of the Tet, and the Figa gesture or charm of the classical and modern Mediterranean (vulnerable penis wrapped in protective vagina)).

The draft horse shoe, with its central boss at the front -- which becomes the top, when the shoe is hung points down -- resembles the vulva with clitoris. The addition of an eye on the boss makes an even clearer vulva-with-clitoris image, hence the charm is, as you noted, both apotropaic against the eye and beneficent / wet / protective against it.

See Professor Alan Dundes' essay, "Wet and Dry, The Evil Eye," which can be found in his essential book "The Evil Eye: A Casebook" (University of Wisconsin Press, 1992).

Here's a point-down and rather evocative Turkish glass horseshoe charm that we sell in the shop -- it's suitable for hanging from the read view mirror of the car or in a window over a baby's bed, to keep off the evil eye:

Great topic of conversation. My wife and I use both "variants" , horseshoe pointing up over our altar room door to keep the luck in...and horseshoe pointing down above the front door to pour down luck on ourselves and guests as the enter and exit our home. I love the Lucky Mojo horseshoe selection! I'm very happy with the ones I chose!

My family is rather mixed, ethnically, but with Irish and Scot's predominating I was always told to hang them points up, however I was taught they weren't so much lucky as they were there to keep witches and the fair folk away.

Very awesome, Miss cat. There is certainly quite a bit to the idea of horseshoe and eye charm, as you noted. In fact, while spending time in the Mediterranean (usually during my summers abroad), I've had the chance to talk to a few locals who make these charm and they are quite fascinating.

I can certainly see the symbolism of the vulva and clitoris in those charms where the eye is placed right on the horseshoe and its point is down. Of course there are a variety of derivations which are equally interesting; inclusion of lucky animal figures on the charm, the eye dangling below the horeshoe from a chain or rope, and multiple eyes dangling from the horseshoe like a wind-chime.

Now, in Greece we were told that the horeshoe represented Saint George (who is quite popular in the Eastern Orthodox faiths) trampling on evil. In Egypt, however, the horeshoe is used specifically to ward off djinn. The metal is considered an anethma to the spirits of fire while the eye charm wards off the evil eye--both highly respected forces.

However to return to the symbolism that you so wonderfully illustrated for us, we also find in that in Ancient Greece the horseshoe was very strongly associated with Hecate, the goddess you'd call upon for protection against witches and it is in this we further see the symbolism illustrated by yourself and Professor Dundes'. In fact in various crossroads shrines to Hecate we've uncovered horseshoes which would indicate the furthering of the symbolism of the position of the horeshoe with the beneficient female deity.

Not sure if this is the right section but it sounded like the closest to my needs. I have lived in my house for at least 5 years now. I have had many magickal people in and out of the door that this horseshoe is nailed to and only this past Friday morning (12/16/11) did I SEE it. I do not know how old it is or who put it there. We rent. I took a picture of it with my iphone and went to work feeling strange and a little shaken that I had not seen a horseshoe nailed upside down above a door I pass through everyday. I have had many things happen in this part of the house that seemed to be unnatural. Cars have been drained of battery. Doors have been mysteriously opened The street lamp just outside our garage had to be changed out because it started spewing sparks randomly. I have also had boxes fall on me in the garage. Up until last Saturday (12/10/11) I had been on the medication Effexor to treat my fibromyalgia and it had taken a heavy toll on me. I have been trying all year to get off of this and be on natural medications. It was a bit of a shock how the world came more into focus and some things that had previously been hidden, like this horseshoe, were plain as day!
I would like to change the direction of this horseshoe and let it remain where it has been. I do not want it to continue to face down. I wanted to know if there is any ritual that should be done with this so that I do not cause more harm than good. I should also say that it has been painted over and so is painted white at the moment. I mention this because of the shape that would be left in its place when rotated.

Thanks for any advise you can give. Still a little blown away by my discovery...

I wouldn't worry about it - it sounds like a good luck charm (even if it hasn't really been working as such). The direction of up versus down for the horseshoe is really regional and cultural. Whoever put it there last was likely just from a region where they hung up downwards.

You can read more about the up-vs-down throughout this thread.

I would just take it, clean it up with some Van Van or Chinese Wash, pray over it and dress it with some fresh luck oils to get it working again, and then put it back up!

Of course, if you're very worried about it you can get a reading to confirm or refute it's benign nature. Many AIRR workers offer a 10 minute reading for $10 that would be more than sufficient to tell you the purpose of the horseshoe.

my grandmother always said that if its nailed up its to catch luck/draw good fortune of all people who pass under it and if its nailed upside down its a symbol of luck/good fortune being poured out(bad luck)but i myself dont know personally.maybe someone else w/experience has also been taught this?anyway it sounds really creepy and supernatural the way you have described the events.if you can it'd probably be a good idea to get a reading for the ten bucks.i think its also weird and therefore maybe deliberate that it is in plain veiw and yet hidden from the sight of the person/pplwho occupy the space.if it was me i,d try to find out as much as i could about the property and previous owners/renters maybe they put some bad work on it but as i said before im far from an expert on any of this.good luck.

Thanks so much for your advice, both of you. I think I will do a reading because I keep going back and forth as to wether I should just take care of it with a cleansing and blessing. Or should I be worried that who ever put that up had ill intent. I come from a horseshoe up background so I think that is why it hit my radar as yuck. I did a lot of reading yesterday and did find traditions of up and traditions of down.

I am in the process of cleansing my space and bringing more harmony to our energy.

Another thing to note is that since moving into this house my life has been a roller coaster of change. Some really good some not so much. I felt an instant connection with the house and it feels like home but I do feel like my husband and I are sharing the space every now and then.

Just wanted to follow up on this topic. I ended up choosing to cleanse the horseshoe with salt and do a blessing with white sage. I decided to rededicate the horseshoe for my highest good and for all who enter our home. I also used incense paper and wrote my new intentions and attitude to the direction of the horseshoe and burned it under the doorway. I felt really good about the energy that was produced in the garage and the way the light came through the windows landing almost perfectly on the space I was working in.

A funny footnote...I got locked in the garage when I came in to do the working. I know it was probably just coincidence that the door was locked (usually we don't lock that door) but it added to the drama when I had to find the spare key and get back in

I feel as though having changed MY thoughts on this hereditary belief I have crossed a bridge in my spiritual development. YAY!

Has anyone thought to place charm bags or the like described in miss cat's book beneath one or behind it to increase the power of spell or charm? Thinking of putting a white bag of rue under it (between the wall and shoe) to keep the evil eye off me and the house. Seems my ownership of my house seems to cause some problems.

I have a rather large shoe found in a field, it's rather old and looks like its been finished or shellacked to keep it looking black. the man I bought it from had found it in his pasture and deals in wrought iron curios. Just wondering about whether or not a finish on something like this will affect its power.

Yes, that is a great idea. You can also tie balls to the shoe through the nail holes. I have had a house protection mojo bag under a horseshoe over the front door of my previous house. You can also use horseshoes to burn candles inside the opening for luck work. They can be used in many, many different ways.

One suggestion would be to anoint it with Good Luck, House Blessing, and Van Van oils. Place it in the centre of a triangle of vigil lights of the same type just mentioned and let it burn while praying Psalm 23. You can do this everyday until the candles have finished before setting the fixed horseshoe above your doorway.

MissKittylovesNanny wrote:Hi Joeseph, thanks for the reply. Sounds like I'll be having some fun with my horseshoe. Do you or anyone else happen to know if Lucky Mojo sells a book that might give more information?

Thank you

I am not aware of a particular book that Lucky Mojo has for sale, currently, dealing with information on how to prepare a horseshoe.

I just recently unearthed an old old horseshoe. I live in a very old house that used to belong to my grandparents. I was working in the yard near the front door and while digging found a horseshoe! I have no idea if there was any significance of this to my grandparents, but it felt lucky to me. I am going to clean it up and dress it with some fast luck oil. I haven't decided yet on whether I will hang it up or maybe keep it for altar work. Just thought I'd share. Thanks!